My Story

For more than 24 years, I have been working with successful individuals and families, providing thorough, unbiased and carefully considered guidance on a wide range of financial topics. My emphasis on education and commitment to outstanding service enables me to take the mystery out of the markets and bring a disciplined, comprehensive approach to financial planning and smart money management.

My mission is simple: To deliver objective, high quality advice to help you organize and better manage your financial life, so you may enjoy and preserve the wealth you are working so hard to create. I strive to accomplish this through the development of long-term relationships, and by continually aligning your goals and values with your personal wealth management plan.

I provide customized solutions and wealth management services to financially successful individuals and families, corporate executives and stock plan participants living in the Bay area and across the country. My goal is to work closely with each client to tailor strategies that help optimize their equity compensation benefits through goal-based investment and tax-efficient management.

I take pride in my ability to put advanced concepts into action. My ultimate goal is to guide my clients on the growth and preservation of their assets, while providing for current cash flow needs. My approach is focused on articulating each client’s goals and aspirations. This information then serves as the foundation for the development of a custom strategy that can be adapted to respond to life changes and market activity.

Having lived in many different places, Kathy calls Emerald Hill her home, where she lives with her husband, Emad, and their two sons, Armin and Ario. When she’s not working with clients, you can find her volunteering at her Sacred Heart School community or by the pool watching her son play water polo. In her free time, she enjoys walking, watching movies and travelling.
Certifications
  • CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), 2004 - Present
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA), 2000 – 2006
  • Chartered Professional Accountant of Canada (CPA, CGA), 1999 - 2001
  • Series 7 - General Securities Representative
  • Series 63 - Uniform State Exam
  • Series 65 - Investment Advisory Agent
  • Life Insurance Licensed
  • Fluent in English, French, and Farsi
  • 1998 - 1999: Carswell Tax Award
Services Include
Securities Agent: CA, NC, NE, TN, NV, HI, GA, VA, OH, NJ, KS, IL, ID, IA, CO, AZ, WA, FL, PA, DE, AL, UT, SC, ND, MT, MA, CT, OK, NY, NM, WI, VT, OR, MD, LA, AR, WY, TX, NH; General Securities Representative; Investment Advisor Representative
NMLS#: 1272836
CA Insurance License #: 0F22217
Check the background of Our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck.*

Comprehensive Equity Solutions for Any Stage of Growth

Our comprehensive offering spans Equity, Financial Wellness and Retirement solutions, plus Financial Empowerment, so your workforce can realize the full potential of their benefits. We deliver workplace financial solutions that can help employees build financial confidence and help you attract and retain top talent.
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    Equity Solutions
    Equity is more than shares. It’s a commitment to your employees.

    That’s why we design equity compensation solutions that can grow alongside your business and people at any stage. With tailored solutions, modern technology, hands-on guidance and dedicated service, we help you effectively administer equity while managing risk and compliance on a global scale.
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    Financial Wellness
    Our workplace solutions give employees the confidence to take charge of their finances – and their future. By improving your employees’ financial wellness, you can benefit from a more productive workforce.
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    Retirement Solutions
    Take care of tomorrow, so your employees can take charge of today. We offer Retirement Solutions to every business size, providing fiduciary oversight, employee education and engagement to help drive the best possible employee outcomes.

    We serve a full spectrum of plan types including:

    - 401(k) and 403(b) Plans
    - Pension Plans
    - Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation Plans
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    Financial Empowerment
    Through seminars and webinars, digital tools, and access to personal guidance, we empower your employees with the knowledge, tools and support that can help them achieve their financial goals. Financial Empowerment is included with every service we provide.

My Clients Include:

  • Corporate executives and management level employees with significant assets amassed in company stock
  • Self-made entrepreneurs in technology and other emerging industries
  • Financially successful individuals and families

My Process:
My clients are much more than a portfolio of assets – they are people with complex lives, who seek an advisor who will be dedicated to helping them address their specific financial challenges. When you work with me, you will be treated with respect, care, confidentiality and an unwavering commitment to you and your family. This is reflected in the core values that serve as the foundation of my practice.

Throughout my career, I have developed a strong and active practice that includes a broad range of clients living in the Silicon Valley area and across the country.

While each client has a unique personal and professional situation, they all have one thing in common: They are focused on achieving very specific financial goals, so they can focus on the areas of their lives that bring them joy, meaning and purpose.

I Help My Clients Develop a Plan to:

  • Meet a major life goal with confidence, such as financing college education, planning for a comfortable retirement or and leaving a lasting legacy
  • Manage the executive benefits provided by their company, including stock option analysis, employee share purchase, restricted stock compensation and deferred compensation planning
  • Finance a major acquisition through innovative banking and lending strategies
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    "Fit" Meeting

    Our relationship begins with a face-to-face conversation to understand your financial concerns and determine if your specific objectives align with our strengths and areas of dedication.
    We discuss important investment concepts and provide details on our investment philosophy.
    We are not trying to be all things to all people.
    We are trying to be all things to some.

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    Team Consultation

    Our team meets internally to determine how we can add value to your situation. If there is a "good fit" among us, we will schedule our next discussion and request important information about your finances. If not, we will direct you to a better resource to assist with your needs.

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    Strategy Development

    We build upon our initial conversation, reviewing the information you've prepared and discussing a high-level overview of your situation and recommendations. In this step, we also begin the process of opening accounts and transferring assets to Morgan Stanley

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    Analysis & Plan Preparation

    Utilizing proprietary planning tools and our investment guidelines, we develop your personalized and detailed financial plan with recommendations to help you grow, preserve and transfer your wealth. This serves as the foundation for building your initial plan, as well as future financial decisions.

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    Plan Presentation & Implementation

    In this step, we present appropriate investment options that, once implemented, are designed to work together to help achieve your financial goals. Upon your approval, we will execute the investment recommendations and begin to implement the additional wealth management strategies we've discussed. These often encompass risk management, as well as estate, trust and philanthropic services.

Modern Wealth Tools

Morgan Stanley's comprehensive suite of digital tools are designed to enhance every aspect of your financial portfolio. Take some time to learn about some of the many Modern Wealth Management resources that are available.
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    Morgan Stanley Online
    Morgan Stanley Online (MSO) has a suite of features that allow you to manage your everyday finances from paying bills and sending money, to transferring funds and authorizing transactions with one click using eAuthorizations.
    Learn More
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    Total Wealth View
    The ability to view all of your assets together provides the opportunity to advise on your Morgan Stanley accounts with your entire financial picture in mind. Completing your financial picture with Total Wealth View gives our clients the benefit of more informed wealth planning, more secure data access, and convenient connectivity.
    Learn More
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    Goals-Based Planning
    Our Goals Planning System is built on Morgan Stanley's intellectual capital and capabilities to provide our clients with comprehensive investing and planning solutions for their individual goals.
    Learn More
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    Portfolio Risk Platform
    Portfolio Risk Platform – Powered by Aladdin is a risk management platform that provides comprehensive risk estimation and reporting across your financial portfolios. This platform provides a holistic view to better enable risk to be effectively monitored and managed.
    Learn More
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    Online Security Center
    At Morgan Stanley, safeguarding your assets and personal information is among our highest priorities. We proactively defend our systems and monitor the threat landscape to help anticipate issues before they arise, and respond appropriately when they do.
    Learn More
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    Reserved Living & Giving
    Reserved Living & Giving is a complimentary loyalty program available to Morgan Stanley Clients with a minimum of $1M in AUM. As a reserved member, clients will have access to exclusive partner offers and discounts, as well as thought leadership content and a variety of lifestyle and personal finance topics.
    Enroll Now

SUSTAINABLE INVESTING: ALIGN YOUR INVESTMENTS WITH YOUR VALUES

Our Investing with Impact platform is composed of a diverse range of funds and other investments designed to advance environmental, economic and social goals — while striving for competitive performance
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The Morgan Stanley Minute
The Power of Sustainable Investing
Watch Here
Sustainable Solutions Collaborative
By supporting innovators of transformative solutions, the Sustainable Solutions Collaborative aims to address the most complex global sustainability issues, such as climate change, social justice and plastic waste.
Learn More About Sustainable Solutions Collaborative
Morgan Stanley Impact Quotient ®
This new application aims to put client’s unique preferences at the center of the analysis in three ways:

1. It provides clients with a comprehensive framework to identify and prioritize over 100 social and environmental impact preferences.

2. It harnesses the insights of multiple third-party data sources and proprietary Morgan Stanley analytics to instantly assess the alignment of investments with those unique impact preferences.

3. It equips Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors with suggestions for investment solutions that may better align clients’ portfolios over time with the impact preferences that matter most to them.
Learn More About The Morgan Stanley IQ Tool
Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Integration
Proactively consider ESG criteria alongside financial analysis to identify opportunities and risks during the investment process.
Learn More
Impact Investing
Allocate to funds focused on private enterprises that are structured to deliver specific positive social and/or environmental impacts.
Learn More
The Evolution of Sustainable Investing in Private Markets
What we see now in the markets are essentially push and pull factors driving the evolution of sustainability as part of the investment process, with the aim to optimize particular outcomes. The push factor is the growing scrutiny from regulators in the US, Europe and Asia. The pull factor comes from clients who are increasingly looking for ways to gain greater transparency and influence with their capital.
Learn More
Sustainability: Energy Security and EU's Decarbonization Pathway
We consider how improving energy security across Europe may impact the transition to a low carbon economy.
Read More

Location

2775 Sand Hill Road
Suite 120
Menlo Park, CA 94025
US
Direct:
(650) 926-7656(650) 926-7656
Toll-Free:
(800) 624-7248(800) 624-7248
Fax:
(650) 926-7650(650) 926-7650

Meet My Team

The Power of Partnerships

By partnering with experienced individuals across wealth disciplines, Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors can align specialized resources with your custom needs and deliver strategic guidance through the familiarity and trust of existing relationships

About Ryan Brown

Ryan Brown is a Senior Private Banker serving Morgan Stanley Wealth Management offices in California.

Private Bankers partner with Financial Advisors to develop a specialized approach for managing clients’ cash flow, liquidity and financing needs, while leveraging our comprehensive suite of cash management and lending solutions.

Ryan began his career in financial services in 2006, and joined Morgan Stanley in 2011 as an Associate Private Banker. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Licensed Premier Banker at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

Ryan is a graduate of the University of California at Irvine, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and a minor in Management. He lives in Half Moon Bay, California with his family. Outside of the office, Ryan enjoys playing golf, road and mountain biking, and spending time with friends and family. He also volunteers his time as a youth sports coach and at several non-profit organizations.
NMLS#: 465566
Wealth Management
Global Investment Office

Portfolio Insights

Retirement

Working with you to understand your life goals and develop a personalized wealth strategy. Today and for the years to come.
  • 401(k) Rollovers
  • IRA Plans
  • Retirement income strategies
  • Retirement plan participants
  • Annuities
4 Financially Smart Ways to Take Money Out of Retirement Accounts
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4 Financially Smart Ways to Take Money Out of Retirement Accounts

Discover how planning for required minimum distributions from retirement accounts can help you fund future needs and support loved ones.

Investing

Working closely with you to guide your wealth and investments through the most challenging market cycles.
  • Asset Management
  • Wealth Planning
  • Traditional Investments
  • Alternative Investments
  • Impact Investing
2025 Global Economic Outlook: U.S. Policies May Temper Global Growth
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2025 Global Economic Outlook: U.S. Policies May Temper Global Growth

Global growth is likely to be around 3% in 2025 and 2026, as tariff and immigration policies begin to slow the U.S. economy late next year, and China's underperformance restrains emerging markets.

Family

Creating customized financial strategies for the challenges that today’s families face.
  • Estate Planning Strategies
  • 529 Plans / Education Savings Planning
  • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Special Needs Planning
  • Trust Services
Are You Prepared for Tax Day?
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Are You Prepared for Tax Day?

The countdown to Tax Day has begun. Here are some strategies to consider as the deadline approaches.

Business Planning

Helping you on key aspects of your business such as ownership, liquidity and developing opportunities.
  • Succession Planning
  • Business Planning
  • Qualified Retirement Plans
Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business
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Financial Planning for Life After Selling a Business

Selling your business can mean big changes for your life, both personally and financially. Know how to make the most of your windfall.

Philanthropy

Making sure your philanthropic dollars are managed with the same high quality service as the rest of your wealth.
  • Endowments
  • Foundations
  • Donor Advised Funds
  • Impact Investing
Donor Advised Funds: A Smart Way to Manage Your Giving 
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Donor Advised Funds: A Smart Way to Manage Your Giving 

There’s more to charitable giving than you may realize. Here’s one method that may be a tax-efficient way to give and can help maximize your impact.

Financial Wellness

Enhancing Financial Wellness enables your workforce to do their best work. Companies that invest in financial wellness have an opportunity to:
  • Reduce employee stress,
  • Improve retention and engagement, and
  • Set themselves apart by offering comprehensive financial wellness benefits.
The Business Case for a Financially Resilient Workforce
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The Business Case for a Financially Resilient Workforce

In the face of turbulent markets, the word “resilience” may be top of mind. Broadly speaking, resilience is the ability to “bounce back” when encountering life’s inevitable challenges.

Mosaic

Explore ideas and inspiration with captivating, original lifestyle stories created exclusively for Morgan Stanley clients.
A Change of Greenery
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A Change of Greenery

Houseplants add oxygen, flair, and warmth year-round, and the right one in the right space can do just as much for a room as any painting or side table.
Ready to start a conversation? Contact Kathy Razaghzadeh today.
Market Information Delayed 20 Minutes
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

1Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is the trade name of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a registered broker-dealer in the United States.

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2When Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors (collectively, “Morgan Stanley”) provide “investment advice” regarding a retirement or welfare benefit plan account, an individual retirement account or a Coverdell education savings account (“Retirement Account”), Morgan Stanley is a “fiduciary” as those terms are defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and/or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), as applicable. When Morgan Stanley provides investment education, takes orders on an unsolicited basis or otherwise does not provide “investment advice”, Morgan Stanley will not be considered a “fiduciary” under ERISA and/or the Code. For more information regarding Morgan Stanley’s role with respect to a Retirement Account, please visit www.morganstanley.com/disclosures/dol. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. Morgan Stanley does not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to consult their tax and legal advisors (a) before establishing a Retirement Account, and (b) regarding any potential tax, ERISA and related consequences of any investments or other transactions made with respect to a Retirement Account. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.

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3Investors should consider many factors before deciding which 529 plan is appropriate. Some of these factors include: the Plan’s investment options and the historical investment performance of these options, the Plan’s flexibility and features, the reputation and expertise of the Plan’s investment manager, Plan contribution limits and the federal and state tax benefits associated with an investment in the Plan. Some states, for example, offer favorable tax treatment and other benefits to their residents only if they invest in the state’s own Qualified Tuition Program. Investors should determine their home state’s tax treatment of 529 plans when considering whether to choose an in-state or out-of-state plan. Investors should consult with their tax or legal advisor before investing in any 529 Plan or contact their state tax division for more information. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC does not provide tax and/or legal advice. Investors should review a Program Disclosure Statement, which contains more information on investment options, risk factors, fees and expenses and possible tax consequences.

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4Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.

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5Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters.

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6Insurance products are offered in conjunction with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC’s licensed insurance agency affiliates.

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7Fixed Income investing entails credit risks and interest rate risks. When interest rates rise, bond prices generally fall.

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8Annuities are offered in conjunction with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC’s licensed insurance agency affiliates.

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Check the background of our Firm and Investment Professionals on FINRA's BrokerCheck*.

The information, products and services described here are intended only for individuals residing in states where this Financial Advisor is properly registered as described in this site.

Morgan Stanley reserves the right, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to retain and monitor all electronic communications. Morgan Stanley will not accept purchase or sale orders via any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. Morgan Stanley does not endorse and is not responsible and assumes no liability for content, products or services posted by third-parties on any Internet site, social media site and/or its messaging systems. All electronic communications are subject to terms available at the following link:
https://www.morganstanley.com/disclaimers/mswm-email.html. Any profiles and associated content are for U.S. residents only.

The securities/instruments, services, investments and investment strategies discussed in this material may not be appropriate for all investors. The appropriateness of a particular investment, investment strategy or service will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, strategies and services, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor or Private Wealth Advisor. This material does not provide individually tailored investment advice. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Individuals should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for legal matters.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”) is not implying an affiliation, sponsorship, endorsement with/of the third party or that any monitoring is being done by Morgan Stanley of any information contained within the website. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information contained on the third-party website or the use of or inability to use such site. Nor do we guarantee their accuracy or completeness.

The views, opinions or advice contained within third party websites or materials are solely those of the author, who is not a Morgan Stanley employee, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, or its affiliates. The strategies and/or investments referenced may not be appropriate for all investors as the appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor's individual circumstances and objectives.

*References to length of service at Morgan Stanley include years at Morgan Stanley and predecessor firms.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S, which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.  The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field.

Awards Disclosures
CRC 6491812 (04/2024)